Pachycondyla castanea
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| Pachycondyla castanea (Mayr, 1865) |
Pachycondyla castanea is an ant of the family Formicidae, endemic to the North Island of New Zealand. It is found in shady native forests, in soil under stones or in rotting logs.
The mandibles are triangular with numerous small teeth (about 10) along the inner margins, and touch the front of the clypeus when closed. Length of the worker ant is 4.9 to 6.1 mm. The antennae has 12 segments. Coloration of the head and body is reddish to dark brown, that of the antennae and legs yellowish-brown.
The queens are wingless and worker-like, unlike the other endemic Ponerinae species Pachycondyla castaneicolor which has winged queens. Pachycondyla castanea is highly predatory, using an effective sting to immobilise prey. They are commonly encountered in gardens, where they have been reported stinging people when the nests are disturbed.
